Ex-formula One driver Alex Zanardi has revealed the "humiliations" which have dogged his recovery from a life-threatening accident.

The Italian, who raced for Jordan and Lotus before a move to Champ Cars in the United States, lost both legs in a sickening accident three years ago today.

Zanardi nearly died in the 200mph-plus crash at Germany's Lausitzring, yet he is close to completing his first full season of racing in Europe since the crash as part of BMW's European Touring Car Championship effort.

Using a modified car he is 17th in the championship, but in his book, Alex Zanardi: My Story, he says: "It is ridiculous that a wheelchair like mine costs 3,700 euros plus VAT.

"Basically it is nothing more than a couple of bent pipes and four wheels and after one year, the wheels have now become already deflated.

"I once went to the emergency department in Indianapolis and spent 640 US dollars on a simple antibiotic prescription.

"These have been the real humiliations, which I had to face because of my disability.

It's sad that there are companies which profiteer on the need of a few unlucky people."

* Alex Zanardi: My Story is published by Haynes Publishing, in hardback , priced £18.99.